Our take

Editorials

More than murals, Wide Open Walls is a sign Sacramento has finally arrived: The mural festival might not seem like much, just some paint on some forgotten walls. But for Sacramento, which has struggled to be seen as more than a government town with no personality, murals can do a lot to put the capital city on the cultural map.

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Erika D. Smith: From Charlottesville to California, everyone suffers when Trump pampers racists: Donald Trump’s reluctance to call out racial hatred, even in Charlottesville, has left an opening for white supremacists.

Take a number: 0.29 percent

In President Donald Trump effort to repeal Obamacare, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, drug makers’ main trade group,is notable for being neither for repeal nor against it. In a recent editorial, we wondered why; maybe drugmakers feared Trump would exact revenge by, say, trying to impose prescription drug price controls. Trump offered a hint Monday by twitter-attacking Kenneth Frazier, the CEO of drug giant Merck, after Frazier protested Trump’s weak response to the Nazi march in Charlottesville by quitting Trump’s American Manufacturing Council. Using the official White House account, Trump tweeted early in the day that Frazier would “have more time to LOWER RIPOFF DRUG PRICES!” Trump, dwelling on it late in the day, trolled Frazier again: “@Merck Pharma is a leader in higher & higher drug prices while at the same time taking jobs out of the U.S. Bring jobs back & LOWER PRICES!” How presidential. The perceptive and pointed Michael Hiltzik wrote in the LA Timesthat intentionally or not, Frazier put 27 other business leaders on the hottest of hot seats. Why do they still serve on Trump’s council. Our question: What will PhRMA do now that Frazier, a former chair of the group, has stood up to Trump? Undoubtedly, other CEOs noted Merck’s stock; it rose 0.29 percent Monday.

Their take

Kansas City Star: Even when President Donald Trump stepped to the podium on Monday to say the least that could be said of the racist terror attack in Charlottesville, Va., over the weekend, he paused to high-five himself for the soaring stock market before getting to the point.

Dalia Lithwick, Slate: The scars and horrors endured by Charlottesville this weekend will persist, but so will its heroes. The clergy members who stood between the white supremacists and the town, the locals who sang and handed out water, the activists who civilly held their ground, the teachers and students who reclaimed the UVA campus for tolerance, our hospital workers, and Heather Heyer, who gave her life.

Mailbag

“Freedom of speech does not mean we have no standards or limits on treasonous, dangerous language.” –Rose King, Sacramento

Sign (and Tweet) of the day

“Effective Saturday 12th August, Cole White no longer works at top dog. The actions of those in Charlottesville are not supported by top dog. We believe in individual freedom, and voluntary association for everyone. Yours truly, top dog” –Sign outside the politically-themed frankfurter grill on Durant Avenue in Berkeley, after an employee was caught on camera marching with white supremacists and outed on Twitter.

“cole white is a nazi who got fired from selling hotdogs and let me tell you ... i relish it.” – @theblowout